Katangwa Free State
The KATANGWA FREE STATE Katangwa, or Katangwaland, was the northern power base of the former country of al-Akharabat. The southern state was Caravoland, and the two provinces were divided by tribal affiliation. The Katangwan province was larger but less populated; while the Caravo province was smaller, primitively urbanized, and more heavily populated. When the Canissian 5th Airborne landed at the northern edge of Katangwan territory at the site now known as 'Camp Dog', forces of Japanistan moved in to secure the Caravo territory. The two tribal provinces had been engaged in a simmering civil war, which the global powers intended to put an end two. Eventually, the two tribal provinces broke away from one another, dissolving the political ties of al-Akharabat and become free and independent states. The Katangwa Free State is now a client of Canissia and hosts a colony on the northern coast called Waalvisbai. COLONEL JOHAN S'VIMBI Johan S'Vimbi is respected by the Katangwans. He is clean, eloquent, and well-educated, with a Masters in Literature. He was working on his Law dissertation in Khitan when he abandoned his studies to come home. He tells people he has a Ph.D in Law, which he does not, but his former Professors admit that of what they've seen of his potential, he would probably get his Ph.D if he actually stayed to finish his dissertation. S'vimbi tries to present a "civilized" face to the rest of the world, by wearing a clean uniform and providing gear for his men as much as he can. But while the people are learning about the complexities of a structured society of laws and markets, the Katangwas social order is still very tribal, and "supply" and "logistics" is handled by individual villages and clans giving extra supplies to his men. His "army" is still partly unorganized tribal militia, with a few battalions of well-trained and well-led men (about half the leadership of these Battalions is Canissian). The tribal militias have old Army trucks and gear from the former colonial army. The bulk of the old Army was made up of Katangwas, while Caravos made up the Officer corps, so many lessons in basic leadership and fieldcraft still have to be learned from the ground up. They are being guided by Canissian instructors, who patiently try to integrate Katangwa tribal beliefs into the instruction so that the tribals more readily adapt to the new learning. The Kantangwa have picked up on army-like ideas like uniforms, cleaning things, and marching and standing in formations. Their fighting spirit is still that of a relaxed tribal group, however. The Katangwans have long ago abandoned the idea of moving on the southern capitol and forcibly re-unifying with Caravoland, and are much happier to be without the Caravos in their life. CITIES WORTH NOTE: KHALID Once considered the "second capitol" of Al-Akharabat, and biggest Katangwan city with 20,000 people. Also al-Akharabat's only real seaport worth mention. WAALVISBAI See also: Canissian Colony in Katangwaland. A colony of Canissian expats that has moved to Katangwaland. Waalvisbai has about 25,000 citizens, led by a Mayor-General, and they are there to support Canissian business interests, military families, and scientific endeavors at the nascent Space Elevator site. ECONOMY: The Katangwan Pound, or K-Pound, is the official currency of the KFS, and currently trades for 4.5 against the ROB. At the moment, however, the ROB is the unofficial (but most widely-used) currency in Katangwa, although it is mostly used only in the capitol city of Khalid and the Canissian military bases. The Katangwans are, as a people, poor beyond comprehension. Their economy is barter, based on tribal and village trade. The southern currency, the "Bwhat", is laughingly referred to as "banana peel" due to its yellowed color and because it has no value in the north. The tribal economy, however, does see to the adequate distribution of basic grown foods, and amenities such as baskets, clothing, and other basic needs. Many people live on subsistence farming, in particular the soldiers. Katangwa Air Lines (KAL) *6 CaE (Canissian Aerospace) BaE-146 medium-range passenger jets. Pilots being trained in Canissia on Royal CanissiAir flights. *Oil platforms at work off Katangwa, run by Canexxia. KATANGWAN MILITARY FORCE STRUCTURE: KATANGWAN ARMY CORPS: *10 Battalions of 1,000 men each; well-trained, professional Light Infantry, supported by the Canissians. Uniforms & Kit: *Woodland camouflage of a pattern once used by the Canissian Army. *Aluminum-frame rucksacks, ponchos w/poncho liners, at least three uniforms +2 pairs boots per man, messkits, helmets, gas masks, medical kits, canteens. Smallarms: *AK-47 variants *RPK/PKM light machineguns *DshK heavy machineguns *RPG-7 *Hand Grenades *"Guards Battalion" has a few MP-5s and L1A1s, but mostly AK-47s. Vehicles: *152 "Wolfhound" rugged-duty military motorcycles (Ural M-72s) *80 Serval tactical jeeps *80 Mungo light Tactical trucks *70 M1117 Guardian Armored Cars *56 FV-101 Scorpions *14 M60A-series Tanks *8 ASU-57 airborne assault guns *2 ZSU-57/2 anti-aircraft vehicles Mounted weapons: *Various Recoilless rifles *A handful of AGS-17 automatic grenade launchers COMBAT ORGANIZATION: *1st Infantry Battalion: 3 Infantry Companies +1 HHC /Light Infantry, Conscript Kit *2nd Infantry Battalion: 3 Infantry Companies +1 HHC /Light Infantry, Conscript Kit *3rd Infantry Battalion: 3 Infantry Companies +1 HHC /Light Infantry, Conscript Kit *4th Infantry Battalion: 3 Infantry Companies +1 HHC /Light Infantry, Conscript Kit *5th Infantry Battalion: 3 Infantry Companies +1 HHC /Light Infantry, Conscript Kit *6th Infantry Battalion: 3 Infantry Companies +1 HHC /Light Infantry, Conscript Kit *7th Infantry Battalion: 3 Infantry Companies +1 HHC /Light Infantry, Conscript Kit *8th Infantry Battalion: 3 Infantry Companies +1 HHC /Light Infantry, Conscript Kit *9th Reconnaissance Battalion: 1 Co. M1117 Armored Cars; 3 Cos. of M-72 Wolfhound motorcycle MG/GL/ATGM teams; 1 HHC Company (8 Wolfhounds; 8 Servals; 8 Mungos) *10th Armored Support Battalion: 1 Composite Co.; 8 ASU-57 Assault Guns +2 ZSU-57/2 SPAAGs; 4 Companies of M1117 Armored Cars; 1 HHC Company (8 Wolfhounds; 8 Servals; 8 Mungos) *11th Armored Battalion: 1 Co. M60A Main Battle Tanks; 4 Cos. FV-101 Scorpion Light Tanks; 1 HHC Co. (8 Wolfhounds; 8 Servals; 8 Mungos) Tribal Militias: *14 "Battalions" of Militia-- semi-organized bands of tribal warriors, organized by village. Each "Battalion" has anywhere from 100 to 400 men in it. 8Civilian Land Rovers and Jeeps, some with machinegun pintles *Surplus Unimog trucks KATANGWAN AIR CORPS: The Katangwan Air Corps is a fledgling air force, and still quite a novelty among the Katangwan people, who regard the art of flight with some regard of superstitious awe. The KAC pilots are minor media stars in their country, with the tiny handful of jet pilots at the top of the social pecking order. Most of the KAC, however, is organized for counter-insurgency work in the bush country, so despite the glamor of the jet pilots, the most important work is carried out by the AT-314 "Little Hawk" piston-engine aircraft. Recently, in an upset move, the Kingdom of PeZookia offered 90 MiG-29 jets for sale to Canissia for the symbolic price of ROB 1.00 apiece. The deal was a bargain, but it meant making the Katangwan Air Corps dependant on PeZookian support rather than Canissian. After protest from the Canissian Parliament, King Arik sank the deal. The PeZookian government went to S'Vimbi directly, and he was glad to pay 90 ROBs from his own bank account for the planes. The Katangwan Air Corps now has all 90 planes, but with only 20 barely-qualified pilots for them. Canissian 'Legion Etrangere' troops will be allowed to use (and maintain) the aircraft until the KAC can train enough pilots to fly them properly. AIRCRAFT: *24 OV-10 Broncos *60 AT-314 "Little Hawks" *20 C-160 Transalls *8 UH-1 "Huey" Helicopters *16 MiG-21 Training jets *90 MiG-29 Air-Superiority Fighters KATANGWAN MARINE (Navy) CORPS: The Katangwan Marine is a small, new-made force for patrolling the waters of the Katangwa Free State. Their primary jobs are to safegurad fishing boats, scan for leftover sea mines, and intercept infiltration attempts by hostile combat swimmers trying to sneak in from Caravoland. The Katangwans have no seafaring tradition, so ships crews are currently 50% Canissian Royal Navy personnel, especially the officers of the vessels. Each officer is assigned an "apprentice officer", however, to teach him the ropes of basic seamanship. The ships are crowded and rarely go out for extended patrols, and the Katangwans are finding seafaring concepts difficult to grasp. MARINE VESSELS: *3 Anuket-class Corvettes (Tarantul look-alike) *8 Crocodile-class Riverine Combat Boats (RCBs) *1 Seahorse-class Minesweepers (Frankenthal look-alike) CURRENT OPERATIONS: The Katangwan Free State is on the alert for any attempts by insurgents to infiltrate the borders. There are many miles of unguarded borders along tribal areas that were not very delineated to begin with. A low earthen berm has been erected by Canissian engineers to demark KSA territory, but there are many stretches that are unguarded and open. Occasional air sweeps are followed-up by ground seeps, but only if something appears to have been worth investigating, and even then, sometimes only if resources permit. However, due to the recent surge in Jihadi activity elsewhere in Veleria, Colonel S'Vimbi is concerned about violence encroaching in Katangwaland. He is asking for, and getting, an increase in military aid from Canissia, and the KFS is becoming a regular training site for many Canissian Reserves to rotate through. CANISSIAN FORCES in KATANGWA Operation Constant Vigil: Camp Dog: Task Force Viers 5th Airborne Division: *1 Airborne Infantry Legacy Brigade "I-Pathfinders" *1 Airborne Infantry Legacy Brigade "II-Pathfinders" *3 Airborne Armored Brigades *2 Heliborne Assault Brigades *2 Tactical Transport Group *1 Combat Engineer/Construction Battalion *4th Tactical Air Strike Strike Group (1 wing of YB-10A all-weather/night CAS) *1st Air Superiority Command/ 4th Fighter Wing: Typhoon H-1A Regular Flights: 204th Heavy Airlift Wing: WALRUS Ultra Heavy Lift Utility Aeroscraft (UHLUA) Camp Talisman: 1 KM East of Khalid V CORPS: Légion étrangère: --BEING FORMED as of MAR09; 50% manned as of 28APR09 *COMBAT GROUP I/KATANGWALAND *Major-General Hunnar Gutierrez, Commanding 17th Infantry Motor-Rifle Division: *2 Infantry Motorized Brigades *1 Medium/Cavalry Brigade *1 Attack Helicopter Brigade 18th Infantry Airborne Division: *1 Airborne Infantry Brigade "I-Ghost Brigade" *1 Airborne Infantry Brigade "II-Ghost Brigade" *2 Heliborne Assault Brigades (AS-555 Fennec-2s used as G- or K- Cars; EC-725 Cougars) *2 Tactical Transport Groups: 4 Sqdns. (2 C-130s; 2 C-212) *1 Aviation Tactical Strike: 4 Sqdns. (2 F-15E; 1 YA-10B; 1 FB-111) TRAINING CAMP FOR KATANGWA ARMY (Camp Talisman): Capt. Rafi Oren, Former Paratrooper; transferred to Légion étrangère to serve as a training officer for the Katangwan Army. BEHIND THE SCENES Katangwa is inspired by southern Colonial Africa, from the Angola region, across to Mozambique, down to Cape Hope of South Africa. Of particular influence is the unrecognized nation of Rhodesia, and to a lesser extent, that of Biafra. In this particular version of events, Canissian colonialism is (so far) seen as a boon to the people and relations are very good between the Canissians and the Katangwans. Category:Nations Category:Velerian Nations Category:Colonies